In her memoir, Azar Nafisi reflects on the challenges of faith and personal belief in a changing political landscape. Both she and her friend Yassi have experienced a crisis of faith, feeling increasingly disconnected from their beliefs. During the Shah's regime, they struggled to maintain their faith amidst oppressive circumstances. However, with the advent of Islamic rule, they find themselves feeling more isolated and helpless, experiencing a profound sense of alienation rather than the promised relief.

Nafisi describes her lifelong indoctrination about the dangers of living outside her Islamic culture, where the West was painted as a bleak existence. She had been led to believe that life would improve under an Islamic government, but instead, she encountered a stark reality filled with hypocrisy and disappointment. This disillusionment underscores the complexities of faith and political power in her life, revealing a deep conflict between expectation and reality.